ETERNAL TREASURE - WORKPLACE WORSHIP

 "Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; Not with eye-service , as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free" (Ephesians 6:5-8).

PAUL WAS ADDRESSING Christian slaves living in the Roman Empire, and many Christians were slaves. A Christian is a slave of Christ and free through faith in Him (1 Corinthians 7:22, 23). It is after being set free from the slavery of sin that the Christian chooses to be a slave of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:29-31). It was out of that freedom that the slaves Paul was addressing chose to obey the commandments and serve their masters as the slaves of Christ.

The commandments (Ephesians 6:5-7) not only apply to slaves and masters living in the Roman Empire but also to employers and employees in every country, in every generation. Since service for the employer is service for the Lord, worship is not confined to the sanctuary on Sunday. Rather, the workplace becomes a sanctuary for worshiping the Lord eight hours a day, five days a week, or whatever the work schedule may be as the Christian obeys the commandments (Ephesians 6: 5-7).

         A Christian’s vocation is more than a means of earning a living. It is faithfulness to the callings of the Lord as well: disciple (Matthew 28:18-20, minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18); ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), and priest (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:5, 6).

Faithfulness to the commandments and to the callings brings light into darkness (Matthew 5:14-16) and is the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). It is the first fruit of the coming kingdom (Romans 14:17); it is God with us (John 14: 23), and it is a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Service done for the employer is doing the will of God (vs.6). “Knowing that whatsoever good any man doeth” (vs. 8) is a summary of the commandments in verses 5-7. The same shall be received of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

A Christian may retire from the place of employment, but not from the Lord’s callings. The Christian vocation is for a lifetime and being faithful to the callings is seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and the things we need will be given to us (Matthew 6:33). So that we can sing with David, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).

Excerpted from Faith Sings God's Song by Robert P. Holland